Ahead of the curve

3 LIZ and Roger Fahl.

BY MELISSA DENNING LABOUR SCHEME FACILITATOR

3 A key element to Fruitico’s success has been its diversification of labour.

Fruitico is in an enviable position, some might say lucky. Whilst most companies have been dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, Fruitico has quietly and efficiently continued to provide amazing produce to local and international markets.

Current circumstances have required a changed process for most businesses. Some businesses have gone online only, others have reinvented how they operate. Fruitico has had to do this also, however their ‘change’ came about in 2016. 2016 was the tipping point for Roger and Liz Fahl. After 20 years in the industry they were starting to see more and more overseas produce arriving onto West Australian supermarket shelves. Rather than continue in the same fashion they realised they had to get ahead of their own curve, for their company’s survival. New plant varieties, new markets and a new joint venture all contributed to their adapted business model, but a key element to their success has been their diversification of labour. Originally the Meelon farm used local Australian and international labour. 20 years ago, Australians would travel from crop to crop following the harvest trail to gain employment. Spending the summer in South-West WA was pleasant and bountiful for work, however this type of Australia

3 WORKERS are key assets at Fruitico.

is few and far between now. Transient Australians were replaced by Working Holiday Makers (WHM), young foreign workers keen to earn some money and see Australia. Backpackers, 88-dayers or visa workers are all terms used to describe these types of workers. Usually they would stay to fulfil their 88-days and then depart, however for a six-month season it meant having to train and then retrain a new cohort at least twice a season, if not more. Fruitico realised that this was not optimal. The first year proved hard. Fruitico had to learn about the workers and the workers had to learn about Australia and the crop. But their perseverance has now led to a stable and returning workforce, year after year. In November 2019 Fruitico invited most of the workers to return from the previous year and have now seen a 30% increase in productivity from their SWP workers. Fruitico understand that workers are their main assets and base their working model on respect, fairness and acceptance. Fruitico is keen to encourage Australians into their workforce however since 2016 they have only had two fruit pickers stay for longer than two weeks. Fruitico’s original 80-hectare farm in Hamel is about to expand to include a new $4 million project in Broome over the next four months. This substantial increase will require a significant rise in labour. Fruitico would love to Fruitico base their working model on respect, fairness and acceptance. employ a 100% Australian workforce, however in the current climate the numbers are simply not available. Based on current projections the optimal levels would be So where was their ‘vaccine’ 30% Australians and 70% from coming from? Rather than sticking the SWP with any shortfall being to the same-same, Fruitico started made up with WHM workers. His looking out of the box and into the diversification will ensure a constant Circle — the Pacific Circle. The and stable workforce for Fruitico. The Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) SWP workers that were in situ from this had the potential to inject a new labour [2020] harvest season, unable to return source into the company and from all home due to flight restrictions, are accounts the programme has given a excited to be staying on to learn more boost to the company. SWP workers about the stages of the crop. began arriving in February 2018, with the first cohort from Fiji. Fruitico had a previous worker from Fiji and used these connections to recruit and train their first group. Later than year their first group of Timorese workers arrived under the SWP. Fruitico and the Fahls are proof that adversity can lead to a newer and stronger company. Fruitico has shown that change can be hard, but that perseverance does lead to improvement.